Pete McBride, an award-winning photographer from the Aspen area, has been honored with the 2025 Ansel Adams Award for excellence in conservation photography by the Sierra Club. The prestigious award recognizes McBride as a career achievement honoree for his decades of work documenting fragile landscapes and inspiring environmental action through his photography and filmmaking.
McBride, who now lives in Basalt, was surprised when news of the award arrived. "I knew nothing about it," he said. "I got a notice about it a little bit in advance, telling me to be available to try to listen. And then I got an award in the mail." Despite his modesty, McBride expressed gratitude for the recognition, saying "It's a super great honor."
The photographer has deep roots in the local community, with his family living in the area since the 1960s. His father, John McBride, founded the Aspen Junior Hockey Program. Pete McBride emphasized his respect for the award's namesake, stating, "I don't ever pretend to be in the ballpark of Ansel Adams, but I've worked as a photographer and filmmaker for more than 30 years, and now I do a lot of books and public speaking as well."
McBride credited Adams with inspiring him to think and look differently with photography and to use the camera as a tool for conservation. He began his photography career in the days of darkrooms, following some of Adams' techniques. The lifetime achievement award places McBride among distinguished conservation photographers who follow in Adams' tradition of using imagery to protect wild spaces.
Interestingly, McBride never originally planned to become a photographer. "I never had a dream of being a photographer," he said. "I was going to be an architect or a doctor." After graduating from Dartmouth University, he started working at newspapers and fell in love with the art of storytelling. He even worked briefly at The Aspen Times. As he began getting stories published in bigger publications, one assignment led to a series of extreme photography assignments, from documenting Sherpa route-builders on Mount Everest to scuba diving alone under Antarctic ice to highlight climate change.
The turning point in McBride's career came when his father suggested he focus on water stories. This advice led to a source-to-sea trip on the Colorado River 15 years ago, which became the foundation for what would develop into McBride's signature body of work. Over the years, he has produced three films and two books on the Colorado River, including "The Colorado River: Chasing Water," published in 2024.
McBride's dedication to documenting the Colorado River has resulted in several remarkable achievements. He holds the distinction of being the last person to paddle the Colorado River to the sea. He also completed an 800-mile trek through the Grand Canyon, which he describes as "a thirsty death march that was more than a walk in the park." These expeditions were undertaken to raise awareness about water conservation and environmental issues affecting the river system.
The photographer has several upcoming projects that continue his conservation focus. His forthcoming book, "Witness to Water," will compile his stories from National Geographic and Outside magazines with personal reflections on following the Colorado River for two decades. He is also working on a children's book and a documentary related to his water conservation work.
During the pandemic, McBride explored another important conservation theme with a book examining silence and the power of quiet in the natural world. This work examined the importance of natural silence not just for wildlife but for human mental health, demonstrating his broader understanding of environmental conservation.
Reflecting on his body of work and the award, McBride sees connections between all his conservation efforts. "I think these are all related to the Ansel Adams Award," he said, commenting on his work with wild spaces, landscapes, the natural world, wildlife, and conservation. "In today's divided world, I think there's power in story and art, trying to bring us together and remind us what's important."
The Ansel Adams Award represents the culmination of more than three decades of McBride's commitment to using photography as a tool for environmental advocacy. His work continues to inspire action for the protection of natural landscapes and water resources, carrying forward the legacy that Ansel Adams established in conservation photography.
